Common childhood orthopedic condition – Flatfoot

• Flat feet are a condition when the arch of the inside of the feet is flat.
• In this case, the entire sole of the foot touches touch the floor on standing up.
• This condition is typically not accompanied by any pain and is a common condition.
• This condition of flatfeet may occur when there is no development of arch in childhood.
• In some cases, the condition of flatfeet may happen after an injury.
• This is due to the wear-and-tear stresses of age.
• Flatfeet can contribute to problems in ankles and knees, typically happening in later stages of the problem.
• This pain occurs because the condition can cause alteration of the optimal alignment of the legs.
• No treatment is necessary if there is no pain associated with this condition.
• There are no signs or symptoms in people with flatfeet.
• From the above statement, the only exception is foot pain; this is the maximum symptom one can find with flatfeet.
• The pain is in particularly in the heel or arch area.
• Swelling is another symptom that might be there inside the ankle.

When to see a doctor?
• If there is any pain then the doctor might be consulted.

Causes for Flatfoot

• A flat foot is common in infants and toddlers.
• This is as the arch of the foot hasn’t still developed.
• Some children never develop arches even after they grow up out of childhood.
• This is a normal variation in foot type.
• People who do not have arches in their foot may or may not have problems.
• Arches can also develop over time.
• Wear and tear on the foot over many years can weaken the tendon.
• These tendons run along the inside of your ankle and help in the support of the arch.

Risk factors for Flatfoot

Tests and Diagnosis for Flatfoot

Imaging tests
• There are different imaging techniques like x-ray, MRI, CAT scans.X-rays
• An X-ray produces images of the bones and joints in the feet.
• This will also help in detecting arthritis.Computerized tomography (CT scan)
• This test takes X-rays of your foot from different angles.
• It provides detail image than a standard X-ray.Ultrasound
• If your doctor suspects an injury to the tendon then an ultrasound test is suggested.
• The ultrasound uses sound waves to produce detailed images and produces images of soft tissues within the body.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• MRI uses radio waves.
• In this a strong magnet provides detail for both hard and soft tissues.